To Hell, but Still Not Back
by Random Dice
Summary: "Regina, my darling daughter," The older woman cooed. The blonde could only picture how Cora was cupping her daughter's cheeks in between her hands, acting like the doting parent Emma could see she never was. She was sure that Regina's apple red blood stained her cell, stained her skin, and stained her Mother.


**Title: **To Hell, but Still Not Back**  
Fandom: **Once Upon a Time**  
Pairings: **Swan Queen**  
Rating: **T**  
Spoilers: **No.**  
Summary:** "Regina, my darling daughter," The older woman cooed. The blonde could only picture how Cora was cupping her daughter's cheeks in between her hands, acting like the doting parent Emma could see she never was. She was sure that Regina's apple red blood stained her cell, stained her skin, and stained her Mother**  
Author's Note: **The childlike state that Regina is in, it's more in her voice then her actions or words, I hope this is what the Anon was asking for. A prompt from Tumblr: _Regina and Emma are kidnapped by Cora. Being around her mother for a long time makes Regina revert to a childlike state._**  
Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

/

Emma tried to cover her ears, attempted to block out the sickening sounds that carried from the cell next to her to the one she occupied, but as soon as she went to cup her ears, her arms were yanked down by in invisible force. No doubt magic from the truly evil woman that kept her and the former Mayor of Storybrooke underground where no one could hear their lowest whimpers or their most agonizing screams.

A snap of leather against skin echoed in Emma's mind and the blonde is sure that it is a sound that will never leave her, no matter how hard she tries. A crackling bark of laughter chilled Emma to the bone. Tears prickled at the corner of her eyes.

They had been there for what seemed like years, but could have only been weeks. They couldn't have been in this torture chamber for months, someone would have found them. Weeks. It had to be only weeks. Not months. Emma shook her head. She wasn't sure what was worse: listening to her own thoughts or hearing the beatings taking place and not being able to do anything.

"-orthless! You don't understand that everything I've ever done, I've done for you!" Cora's cold, sickly sweet voice floated into the air, barely there over the ongoing sounds of the whip slapping wet skin. The blonde squeezed her eyes closed. At times like these, when Cora was being more ruthless than usual, Emma's mind was less dangerous and often brought her comfort. "My dear, can you understand that?"

The whipping sounds stopped and Emma thought it safe enough to peek open an eye, not that she could see anything.

"Regina, my darling daughter," The older woman cooed. The blonde could only picture how Cora was cupping her daughter's cheeks in between her hands, acting like the doting parent Emma could see she never was. She was sure that Regina's apple red blood stained her cell, stained her skin, and stained her Mother. And Emma was more than sure that Cora was simply not willing to acknowledge the scarlet hue that had taken to Regina's being.

"Yes Mother." Came the soft, young, _obedient voice_ of Regina Mills. On Emma's list of scariest things, hearing Regina revert to a child had to be number one. She was no longer the firecracker that Emma had come to enjoy.

Sure, she was at first. She fought with her Mother magically, then verbally when Regina was chained and bound. Emma had found out so much of the brunette's past from the arguments that occurred between the formidable women. Slowly, much too subtle for Emma to catch, Regina began to sound younger, like a child. The blonde didn't know if the Evil Queen had been literally transformed into a child, or her mind simply found a unique way to cope, either way, Emma was on her own.

"Can you understand that all I've done has been for your happiness?" Emma could _hear_ the smile through the thick walls accompanied by a horrid undertone in her brown eyes. Regina must have nodded. "Good girl. I knew you were a good girl, my dear."

The cell door opened with a creak and slammed without so much as a second in between.

Silence filled the air as Cora's footsteps faded up a flight of stairs. Emma swallowed thickly and crawled toward the small hole that connected her room to Regina's. It was the only way the Emma could see Regina. Lying on the floor, her ear flush against the cold stone, Emma peered through the hole where stone rectangle use to be.

Regina was flat on her belly in a pool of her own blood. If Emma didn't know any better, she'd swear that Regina's cell was just painted red instead of being soaked from top to bottom with the brunette's life force. She was pale as snow and her eyes were hazed from blood loss. Emma could feel her heart breaking. The other woman couldn't survive this much longer, not at the rate at which Cora beat her.

"Regina." Emma called softly. She had to do something. She couldn't just sit there anymore. Dark, childish eyes flickered toward her, but held very little recognition. "Regina, you're going to be okay." The blonde frowned when seeing Regina sluggishly shake her head 'no'. "Yes. Yes you are. You are going to be fine. Someone is going to save us." Emma reached through the hole and stretched her fingers to try and touch Regina, to feel she was alive. "Can you grab my hand?"

Emma couldn't see past her arm in the hole and she didn't want to pull out so soon. She waited a minute and just as she was about to pull away, sticky fingers dropped into her palm. With renewed excitement, Emma closed her hand around the digits.

"We're going to be fine, they're going to save us."

"Not if Mother has any say in it." Regina murmured softly. Emma squeezed her hand to reassure her, but there was a multitude of things left unsaid in that one sentence. Things that Emma could easily understand from her own childhood. When an adult wanted to hurt you and no was there to stop them, you could never be saved.

Emma tightened her hold on Regina's to an almost painful degree. "They will find us. Henry will make them, and Snow and James are probably frantic. Regina," The blonde suddenly sobbed, "Regina we'll live through this. I promise."


End file.
